Cam-operated circuit-closer



H. McNlCHOLAS.

- CAM OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 191B.

' 1,342,59 1 Patented June 8, 1920.

awueutoz UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM MGNICHOLAS, or comvELL, WASHINGTON.

CAM-OPERATED GIRCUIT-CLOSER;'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Application filed .Tanuary 31, 1918. Serial No; 214,624.

and the present invention is designed par ticularly for use with anannunciator which forms the' subject matter of a .co-pending application for patent, which application 1sv filed in connection withthis application for patent and given the Serial No. 214,625,.

dated January 31, 1918, entitled stationindicators.

The actuating device; is of that class which is utilized to 1 make and'break an electricicircuit andis carried on the truck of a railway car, and moves in the path at the side of the railway track in position to encounter and be operated by an obstruction, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in connection with a railway car and annunciator thereon, and the invention as depicted herein 1s constructed and arranged according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one end of a railway car equipped with the device of the present invention, and also showing on the interior of the car, an annunciator to be actuated thereby.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the invention showing it applied to the car truck, and illustrating also the obstruction which is placed at intervals along the track for co -action with the device carried by the truck of the car.

Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional view of the circuit or switch lever, showing its resilient support for its pivot.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view of a housing and its contained devices formal:- ing and breaking the electric current circuit,

' a trip foot 12 in the form of a tliere being twoof these devices preferably used.

In order that the invention may be readly understood, a well known type of car 1 is illustrated and provided with the usual supporting trucks of which the side beam 2 forms a part, and thewheels 3, rail 4 and street annunciator 5 are of suitable and usual type. The tilting, lever 6 for makp ing andbreaking the electriccircuitis illusit will be evident that the lever may be located at other suitable and convenient pointsi if desired. As best scenin Fig. 3 the lever is slotted as .at 7 for a considerabledista-ncev and the lever is supported on trated as carried by the .truck,beam -2, but

lts pivot bar 8 by the resiliently supported bearing block 9 which may move in the slot and is guided therein by its lugs 10, a spring 11 being seated in the slot and bearingup against the bearing block; A curved seat 9 1s fashioned .at the upper end of the slot 7 and the lever-is supported by this curved seat and the resiliently supportedblockwso that the lever may oscillate onits pivot 8, and if necessary the lever may be lifted bodily, vertically by compressing the protractile springll, and the lever is thus supported to oscillate freely on its pivot 8, the latter being fixed on the truck beam of the car.

At the lower end of the lever is attached metallic ring, opened and with its ends attached to the lever. Preferably this trip is made of resilient metal in order that it may receive, and to some extent, absorb that would otherwise be conveyed to the lever with detrimental effect. At the upper end of the lever a head 13 is formed, and fashioned as a circular, open ring. At intervals along the track, preferably at the near side of intersecting streets, or stations, an obstruction 14 is placed, alon side the rail and in the path of movement of the trip or foot of the lever, brushes 15 being employed to wipe over these obstructions and clean them before the approaching trip. Two of the brushes are utilized in order that the obstruction may be cleaned as the car moves in either direction on the track.

shocks or jars which are supported in a housing 19, preferably cylindrical. in shape and attached to the truck frame on lines radiating from the center of the open ring or head 13. The plunger rods 18 are held projected by means of protractile springs 20 coiled about the rods in the cylinder and interposed between the bottom of the housing and a washer or disk 21 fixed on the plunger, and this disk in turn bears against a pair of retaining lugs 2:2 fixed to the interior walls of the cylindrical housing to limit the force of the spring in projecting the plunger rod. 11inch rod carries a knife switch member 22 in the form of an enlarged flat member, and when the plunger is retracted or forced into the housing against the tension of the spring 20 the knife switch member engages the brackets 24: forming seats for the knife switch member, to complete the electric circuit indicated by the wires 25, 26, 27, 28 that lead to the annunciator 29 carried in the car as indicated. The duplex arrangement of plungers is provided in order that the circuit may be made with the car traveling either to the right or to the left in Figs. 1 and 2, and the heads 16 and 17 are of course at all times in contact with the head of the lever. hen the tripping foot 12 encounters the block or obstruction 14, it rides up on the cam surface of the obstruction and is dragged over the cam face, thus tilting or oscillating the lever head toward the left and downwardly in Figs. 1 and 2,

with the result that the plunger 16 is pushed down into its housing, against the tension of the spring 20 and the knife switch is closed, making circuit through the electric wires 27 28 that lead to the annunciator 29, with the result that the mechanism of the annunciator is operated. Because of the resilient support afforded the tripping lever it is possible to have the lever moved bodily with relation to its pivotal support to avoid damage or destruction should the car stop at just the exact point to hold the lever on the obstructing block, or should the tripping foot, for any reason ride up on the cam face while the lever remained in a perpendicular position. The plunger, of course is pushed downwardly by the head of the lever contacting therewith as the lever is oscillated, the front plunger being always operated while the rear one remains inoperative.

That is claimed herein is:

The combination with the fixed support, of a slotted, circuit closing trip lever pivoted thereon and provided with a head, a spring supported bearing block in the slot of the lever and bearing up against the support, a pair of opposed circuit closing spring pressed plungers engaging said head, a housing over each plunger, and electric contact switch elements carried by the plungers and housings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HIRAM MGNIOHOLAS. 

